Welcome to TEFL. This is one of the reasons I preach for newbies to get a fake certificate first. If it works out and you like it, you can get a 'real' one later. If it doesn't and you get pissed off and go back home, at least you've not spent a wad on a useless piece of paper. What you describe is EXACTLY what I'm going through in Thailand. I've had all sorts of 'behavior' problems in my class. So many, in fact, I now believe I'm not really a teacher as much as a glorified babysitter. Well, that's not me. I wish now I MYSELF would have gotten the fake certificate before jumping in. I dropped 1600 on a cert and regret it every day I'm here.

At my school, I see a class at MOST twice a week. Each class is 50 minutes, and many of my students come late. Stragglers often come up to 30 minutes late. In a 50-minute class, that is quite a chunk of time. It's no surprise my students haven't learned much, and coupled with the fact they NEVER practice outside of class, I know they never will learn much. Who needs it? I'm moving on to Korea, then Turkey. I hope it works out in Korea. If I go to Turkey, that is the last straw. I'll be retiring if I find more of the same there. I'll use my TESOL to start my next BBQ back in the states and forget I ever tried to teach these brats one iota of English. I wish I could get the 1600 back I spent on my cert.

It's not over yet for me. I still have two more places to try. Good luck.